Customer Reviews

Dark Was The Night (Red Hot Compilation)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Red Hot's Dark Was the Night boasts one of the best line-ups of any compilation in a good long while. Indie rock luminaries ranging from David Bryne to Arcade Fire to Spoon to Feist, and it delivers.

Sufjan Steven's lovely 10 minute track 'Blood' is probably the highlight of the collection, but almost everyone delivers a quality exclusive track. Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch's reworking of the Bright Eyes track 'Lua' for instance, is a lovely treat. And Feist's two appearances being backed up by Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard in one case and backing up Grizzly Bear in another are wonderful as well.

This is an easy to take in collection with some great highs and a limited amount of lows and the money goes to a great cause. BUY IT!

This compilation does a great job of representing a very specific corner of the indie rock world, it is not, however, an all-encompassing "Indie Rock For Dummies" that some have been billing it as. That's not to say I rate this album lower because of this, but compiling a complete picture of something as broad as the indie rock scene is nearly impossible to do in a mere 31 tracks, and it should be noted that this album does not accomplish that impossible feat.

On to what this album IS rather than what it is NOT...

The common thread I found on the first disc was that the entire disc was slow-tempo. You probably could have guessed that with songs by Bon Iver, Feist, Grizzly Bear, The Decembrists, Iron & Wine and Sufjan Stevens. However, even bands with a penchant for getting louder at times (The National, most notably) present very restrained songs on this disc.

The Dirty Projectors' track with David Bryne is a fantastic starting point for the album. Jose Gonzalez and The Books provide a great cover of "Cello Song", followed by a fantastic duet between Fiest and Ben Gibbard. Bon Iver, The National and Yeasayer add very strong tracks to close out the first half of disc 1. The second half of disc only has one really bad track (My Brightest Diamond's needless cover of "Feeling Good"), but the pacing feels really off. There's an 8 minute Decembrists track, followed by two songs that don't total half of that length, and then things finish off with a 10+ minute Sufjan Stevens track. All 4 tracks in the sequence are good, but the shorter middle tracks get lost, it feels like they could have been sequenced a bit better.

The first disc is remarkably consistent, but also lacks true standouts. The second disc is almost the exact opposite. There are a few true standouts, but the disc as a whole feels completely scatter shot.

Spoon and Arcade Fire bring the energy that was nowhere to be found on the first album. "Well-Alright" is a great pop track, it could easily fit on either of the last two Spoon albums. Arcade Fire's "Lenin" is a s a strong track as well. A very good contribution from Beirut finishes off the excellent start of the second disc. From there, things start to fall apart. My Morning Jacket continues their trend of becoming an extremely boring band (think "Librarian" from their last album), followed by an out of nowhere old-school R&B track by Sharon Jones. A decent contribution by TV on the Radio's David Sitek comes before another seemingly random choice - a Buck 65 rap song. From there the rest of the disc waivers between somewhat exciting (Yo La Tengo, The New Pornographers and Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch) to fairly forgettable (Stuart Murdoch, Andrew Bird and Kevin Drew). Of special note, Cat Power's cover of "Amazing Grace" is probably my least favorite track on the album. I'm a big Cat Power fan, but record an original song already! Just an awful cover by Chan...

Phew, I think that about covers it, 31 tracks, the vast majority of which I enjoy, a handful I REALLY enjoy and a select few I will probably skip more often than not. All things considered, I think this is a successful compliation. It is aimed at a specific corner of the indie rock world, but it does a really good job of covering that specific corner.

Ever since I saw the tracklisting for this compilation a few months ago, I've been really excited to see if it measured up to the hype. Needless to say, it does. Not only is this a fantastic double disc set with some of the best indie artists releasing music today for a low price, but all the proceeds go to AIDS research. It's win-win, so go out and buy it already.

This comp pulls together a wealth of previously unreleased tracks from Beirut, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, the Decemberists, Kevin Drew, Yo La Tengo, and Blonde Redhead, among others. All of these tracks would be standouts had they been pulled from full length releases. This is what makes Dark was the Night stand out as much as it does. It's not a half-hearted release. I think the most stunning song is the Iron and Wine track though. The track is barely a minute long, but I didn't know this the first time I listened to it. When I realized the song was so short, but so powerful, I felt sad that I was in my car by myself and had no one to share that moment with.

I think the covers on this comp really stand out. Andrew Bird contributed a stunning version of the Handsome Family's 'The Giant of Illinois." Feist and Ben Gibbard's version of Vashti Bunyan's 'Train Song,' and Sufjan Stevens's take of the Castanets track 'You are the Blood' are also stunning.

Unfortunately, there are a few duds and they come at the beginning of both discs. The Dirty Projectors lead off the first disc with a cameo from David Byrne, but not even the Talking Heads legend can save that band. Disc two starts with one of the weirdest Spoon songs I've ever heard. It sounds more like the singer messing around with pre-programed instruments and a laptop, not anything that should show up on a Spoon record. Following that track is a dud from Arcade Fire. I was really worried that the track was a taste of things to come from the follow-up to Neon Bible, but thankfully it turns out the the track "Lenin" is an unreleased song that predates Funeral. The only other disappointing track is Cat Power's rendition of Amazing Grace. The vocal pacing is odd and distracting, and I think it's one of her worst songs.

These duds aside, this is still an amazing collection of great songs that will be in heavy rotation for many months to come.

I give this one five stars because it is one of the best comps I've seen in a while. Two discs of my favorite bands performing interesting covers and originals and all for a worthy cause. Amazon's sale price made the deal even better. I do have one possible complaint, though I still give the cd five stars. My complaint is this: Like many/most people these days I rip all of my cds into iTunes so that I can listen to my music on my iPod and computer. But disc 1 of this comp does not play in my Mac computer. When I insert the disc it spins around for a few seconds and then gets spit out. I did not have this problem with disc two(?). I have not had this problem with any of my other cds except some of those old Sony dual disc sets which I promptly returned. If you've had a similar problem with this cd please leave a comment (or if you have this cd and were able to rip it into iTunes, please also leave a comment...I'd like to know if I have a defective disc or computer or if they are all this way. Thanks! Well, aside from that issue, this is a great cd. A must buy!!!

I'm generally not much for these types of compilations, but the long talked about and (for me) eagerly anticipated "Dark Was the Night" (2 CDs; 31 stars; 130 min.), a charity compilation overseen/produced by the National's Bryce and Aaron Dressner, is a veritable all-star collection of the best and brightest of indie music bands of this era, and it is quite the listening experience.

Even though there is no single overreaching theme to this collection (as acknowledged by Aaron Dressner in the liner notes) CD1 "This Disc" (15 tracks; 63 min.) brings a remarkable cohesiveness when listening to it. CD1 plays like a greatest hits of indie music, even though these songs are not hits and most songs are brand new. Highlights are too many to mention, but here just a few: the opener "Knotty Pine" is a delightful collaboration of Dirty Projectors and David Byrne. Feist and DCFC's Ben Gibbard excel on "Train Song". Bon Iver is his usual great on "Bracket, W9". The National's contribution "So Far Around the Bend" is my favorite track on this entire album, just superb. The Kronos Quartet's instrumental cover of 'Blind' Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night" is eerie and delightful. (Side bar: the Dressner brothers also curate the annual "MusicNow" festival in their/my hometown of Cincinnati, and this year's edition, slated for mid-March, will headline the Kronos Quartet, can't wait for that!) Iron & Wine's "Die" is a 1 min. little ditty. Sufjan Stevens closes CD1 with a great "You Are the Blood". But those are just the personal highlights for me. there are no weak tracks on this, period. I rate CD1 5 stars.

CD2 "That Disc" (16 tracks; 67 min.) is a bit more all over the map, but still provides plenty of highlights, including Spoon's "Well Alright", Beirut's "Mimizan", My Morning Jacket's "El Caporal", the instrumental Riceboys Sleeps' "Happiness", the exquisite duet between Conor Oberst and Gillian Welsh on "Lua" and the next to last track, "When the Dreams Runs Out", a dreamy collaboration between Blonde Redhead and Devastations, just superb. I rate CD2 4 stars.

In all, if you are familiar with many of these artists, this is not to be missed, and an essential purchase, period. If you are not, give this a try and chances are that you'll simply be blown away by the beauty of the music on here, and at the basement price that Amazon is selling this, this is a no-brainer, just get it already. If you are wondering where you can here many of these artists, check out WOXY (BAM! The Future of Rock and Roll), the internet-only station that brings the best indie-music in the country, bar none. Meanwhile, "Dark Was the Night" is highly recommended, and sure to make my "best of 2009" albums when the time comes later this year.

This compilation is a great idea overall. It is made for a good cause, and it brings a great selection of current artists of similar musical trends, in a double album for a fair price.

It is filled with rare tracks made for this occasion. It even includes music from recently established artists such as Riceboy Sleeps (Sigur Ros's singer side project), Stuart Murdoch (Belle and Sebastian).

There are some great collaborations in here too, such as: David Byrne with the Dirty Projectors, Jose Gonzalez and The Books, Feist and Ben Gibbard, and Catpower and Dirty Delta Blues, to name a few.

Most of the songs capture the essence of the idea and focus more on the feeling rather than the words.
In Short, it is a very romantic and compassionate soundtrack, mainly for a select age group, perhaps more young adult contemporary.

(It should be noted that on the second cd track list, the song "Amazing Grace" should be reversed and should come before "Happiness". "Another Saturday" comes after "Happiness", where "Amazing grace" is said to be).

I agree with those reviewers who state that many tracks are just ok and that everyone will have their own favorties. I will add to that a bit of disappointment that most of the artists did not take the opportunity to try out a very different style (Sufjan Stevens and Blonde Redhead are notable exceptions). However, I think the album is deserving of 5 stars because so many different artists are represented over two discs, with exclusive tracks, and everyone will find things to love here, depending on which artists they like best. The Red, Hot compilations have a long and admirable history and record, not an easy feat in the world of compilations. Kudos to them. On intial listening, my favorites are the tracks by Sufjan Stevens (a ten minute opus!), Blonde Redhead/Devastations, Andrew Bird, Yo La Tengo, Books/Jose Gonzalez, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, and Grizzly Bear/Feist.

This is my favorite album of 2009 and most likely my favorite compilation album of all time. If your a fan of music at all or donating to fight HIV/Aids(proceeds of cd) this is a must have. I came upon this randomly months ago wondering what is this and now I am here with a 15$ cd that is worth more than any amount of money to me.

"Dark was the night" is the latest in the Red Hot series of CDs to raise money for AIDS. First of all, that's good enough reason to get this CD. However, even better is that this is such an amazing album.

Comprising 31 tracks on 2 discs, I had never heard of most of the artists here. Indie acts contributing new recordings for a good cause.

The sound is largely Acoustic and Folk-y. Feist appears on the tender "Train song" (with Ben Gibbard. This reminds me of stuff by Beth Orton), as well as on the slow shuffling "Service Bell" with Grizzly Bear. Bon Iver sings the hushed "Brackett, WI". Antony sings the mournful country-ish "I was young when I left home" with Bryce Dessner. The stark yet beautiful acoustic/Cello driven "Sleepless" is performed by The Decemberists.

The gloomy electronic effect-peppered "You are the blood" is by Sufjan Stevens and is truly staggeringly beautiful, with lovely piano and horn flourishes. Sufjan also appears on "Blood, Pt 2" featuring Buck 65 and Serengeti. It is a Rap with electronic Hip Hop sounding beats against a swirling electronic backdrop. Arcade Fire sing the driving Lo fi Rocker "Lenin", the creepy atmospheric "When the road runs out" is by Blonde Redhead and Devastations, while Cat Stevens and Dirty Delta Blues sing the organ Hymn "Amazing Grace".

That's it as far as the artists I know or have heard of. The rest of the album comprises awesome songs by acts unknown to me like the soulful horn sprinkled "Inspiration Information" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, the Blues/Jazz-tinged cover "Feeling good" by My morning Diamond featuring a stunning vocal performance and an amazing horn coda (truly brilliant. Prior to this, the only other version I'd heard was Randy Crawford and Joe Sample's), the dreamy Surf feel of "Gentle hour" by Yo La Tengo, the electronic instrumental "Happiness" by Riceboy Sleeps, or the spare plucked guitar/Sitar instrumental "Dark was the night" by Kronos Quartet.

I truly love everything on this album, but selected just a few tracks showcasing the diversity of the disc. This was recommended to me by Amazon and and I'm glad I got it as it introduced me to loads of new acts I am going to look into. What is also great about CDs such as this is there is something for everyone. If music could cure disease, it would be CDs like this one. Brilliant!!

Dark Was The Night offers up an interesting and appealing collage of awesome tunes by talented artists. This music is not only great material but it is truly every bit as exclusive as they say it is--and the quality of the sound is excellent! The artwork is good, too; but of course it's the music that we're really after. And wow, do we ever get music--two CDs packed with tunes by quite a few independent artists. Of course, it's wonderful that this music can help the fight against HIV and AIDS.

"Knotty Pine" by The Dirty Projectors & David Byrne starts the first CD off very nicely; they sing very well. Not only do they harmonize on this pop tune; the melody is extremely catchy even when they switch tempos and keys. The keyboard work enhances this snazzy little number and I like that a lot! "Train Song" by Feist with Ben Gibbard has a much more laid-back sound; but still the melody is very pretty. They play and sing this like the pros they truly are! Listen also for "Deep Blue Sea" by Grizzly Bear; "Deep Blue Sea" is a thoughtful, slower ballad and Grizzly Bear does this with a lot of sensitivity.

"Feeling Good" by My Brightest Diamond features some mighty fine singing; and the music never steals the show--it enhances those lyrics and complements them to create a sophisticated tune. "I Was Young When I Left Home" is quite laid-back even with its not so happy lyrics; and I really like "Service Bell" by Grizzly Bear and Feist. They sing with their hearts on their sleeves and I'm rather impressed.

The second CD continues the excellent music. "Mimizan" by Beirut has an intricate arrangement that sticks in your head long after you hear it--it's THAT good. "El Caporal" has a country flavor to it mixed with just a touch of rock; My Morning Jacket does an excellent job on "El Caporal." There's also "Hey, Snow White" by The New Pornographers; they sing and play this with a lot of feeling and they really get into this ballad to make it shine. Yo La Tengo also makes a fine contribution to this set with their song entitled "Gentle Hour." "Gentle Hour" is one of my favorite tunes on the second CD. Great!

"Happiness" by Riceboy Sleeps has some great musical effects to make this number stand out; and I enjoy hearing Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues performing their rendition of "Amazing Grace." Not only do Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues alter the tempo and make some key modulations to put their own stamp on this ballad; their overall creativity in reworking "Amazing Grace" astonishes me. "The Giant Of Illinois" uses the strings to great advantage; and I think you'll like the musical arrangement for "The Giant Of Illinois."

"When The Road Runs Out" is another sensitive ballad with very good musical effects; and the CD ends with Kevin Drew performing "Love vs. Porn." "Love vs. Porn" uses some minor keys for a great effect and they pull this off without a hitch!

Overall, this two CD set entitled Dark Was The Night may be geared toward fans of independent music; but there's so much talent here that many fans of "mainstream" music will want this in their music collections. These artists show great talent; and I think we're going to hear from them much more in the years to come.